Genre: Manga/Horror
Rating: 18+
Price: 10.95 USD
Volume 4 isn't the latest release of The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, but it packs a rare treat (two, actually) so cool that it deserves some special attention, though it will only truly be appreciated by the most dedicated of readers.
Kurosagi started as a strong series, but I think initially suffered at the stark contrast between its brutal imagry and attempts at humor. That initial stumble has essentially disappeared, and the time spent getting to know the five eclectic but perfectly-matched members of The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service has been more than worth the time, and I couldn't be more satisfied with how this title has matured into one of Dark Horse's premier series.
The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service is a group of Buddhist College students who have been assembled by its leader, computer-hacking beauty Ao Sasaki. Each of their skills, from one who can channel to voices of spirits to an expert embalmer, this group uncovers hidden and improperly tossed bodies. With their special skills they are able to get the corpses to their proper resting places (sometimes with a little revenge along the way), but the real challege for our team is getting properly paid. (Dead bodies don't usually carry much cash.) This is a source of a lot of the humor of the first volumes, but, thankfully, the focus has moved away from getting paid, and more toward a unified pursuit of justice, which is a bit more satisfying for the reader.
What is especially satisfying about this title in particular is a couple of cameos only a savvy reader might spot. Here's the set-up: Kurosagi is written by Eiji Otsuka and drawn by Housui Yamazaki. Otsuka also wrote MPD-Psycho and Yamazaki also wrote and drew the short series Mail. All are published in English by Dark Horse. MPD-Psycho editor, Philip Simon calls this the "Ostuka-verse", and in Volume 4 of Kurosagi we have a guest appearance from each of the forementioned series.
This is the second guest-appearance of arrogant MPD-Psycho flat-foot, Detective Sasayama. It's easy to miss him as he looks quite different from the Det. Sasayama from MPD-Psycho. He now has no hair, different glasses, and a prominent scar across his face. He is also no longer a Tokyo Police Detective, but he does retain the same attitude. Apparently Kurosagi is set after the events of MPD-Psycho, and figuring out what happened to Det. Sasayama is a treat to look forward to.
In another episode of this guest-heavy volume we are visited by Reji Akiba, the "star" of the excellent three volume Mail series. Since Akiba deals more with ghosts, and the Kurosagi gang deals more with corpses, it seems like mixing oil and water. However, this is the Otsuka-verse, and it all fits like it was meant to be. Connected by the same artist, Yamazaki, the visit of Akiba into the Kurosagi world is fun, satisfying, and shows a cleverness and comfort that is a rare treat in the horror manga universe.
But make no mistake, a big pull in this series is the "ick" factor, and the last chapter had me itching and scratching and not looking forward to doing my yardwork.
If you have been holding off on The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, (as some have with MPD-Psycho, as we have seen some horror titles get cut short in recent years), Volume 4 should be all you need to go back and get started on this series. It is rich, shocking, clever, and has found a great balance in its tone.
9.5